'If you can’t handle little seam movement, what will you do?' - Shoaib Akhtar blasts on Babar Azam after Pakistan's embarrassing defeat

Former Pakistan fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar has expressed his displeasure around the post-match comments made by captain Babar Azam. The Pakistan team lost the first ODI by nine wickets against a largely inexperienced England side. Batting first, the visitors were bowled out for just 141 runs, which was chased down by the hosts in just 21.5 overs and nine wickets to spare. 

After the match, Azam faced the media and journalists in a virtual press conference. Speaking about the defeat, the right-handed batter, who himself made a two-ball duck, said that he plans to sit with the team and have a word about the match. He said that there are going to be ups and downs and showed hope that his team will come back stronger. 

“It’s not such a massive setback, per se. Of course, there are bad days and there are good days. We have been playing the past few series fairly well,” Babar said and was quoted by Cricket Pakistan. “I will sit with them and have a talk. I’ll tell them that don’t lose your nerves and that ups and downs are part of life. The sooner we do that, the better it will be for us, as a team,” he added.

If Pakistan continues to perform like this, then who will watch them?: Shoaib Akhtar

Back home in Pakistan, Akhtar called out the captain for using ‘lame excuses’ for the defeat. According to the ex-cricketer, there was nothing terrifying about the wicket in Cardiff, and the Pakistan batters should have been able to cope with it. Pakistan lost two wickets in the first over and soon found themselves at 26 for 4, and never really recovered from that state. Akhtar raised questions on the Pakistan team and their performance. 

“It is all lame excuses. There was nothing on the wicket like extraordinary bounce. A little seam movement is expected in England. If you can’t handle that seam, then what will you do?” Akhtar questioned on PTV Sports. “I feel sorry for myself and the fans. If Pakistan continues to perform like this, then who will watch them? I will not,” he added.

Pakistan will now face the England team in the second ODI at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. This will be a crucial match for their team as another loss will mean that the series will slip away from them.